The present invention relates to a starting circuit having a starting aid for gaseous discharge lamps, and more particularly, to a starting aid arranged in parallel across the gaseous discharge lamp.
Starting circuits for gaseous discharge lamps are well known and one such circuit is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,214 issued Oct. 30, 1984. U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,214 discloses a starting circuit having a starting aid arranged in a parallel manner across a gaseous discharge lamp so that the current carrying capabilities of the components of the starting aid are advantageously relatively low when compared to similar circuits arranged in a serial manner with the gaseous discharge lamp. The starting aid of U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,214 utilizes a pulse transformer for the generation of the high voltage pulse necessary to start or restrike the related gaseous discharge lamp. Such a pulse transformer has a disadvantage in that the high voltage pulse developed by its secondary winding along with the impedance of its output stage is loaded and attenuated by its primary winding having its related input stage impedance. It is desired that a starting aid arranged in a parallel manner relative to the gaseous discharge lamp be provided without having the disadvantages yielded by the pulse transformer.
The operational parameters for gaseous discharge lamps are dependent upon the characteristics of the excitation supplying such lamps and it is desirable that the starting aid for such lamps be easily adaptable to such characteristics. For example, it is desirable that the starting aid be easily adaptable to various voltage amplitudes of the applied excitation while still providing the desired voltage to start and maintain the operation of various gaseous discharge lamps.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a parallel arranged starting aid with means that easily adapt the starting aid to various excitations supplying gaseous discharge lamps.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a starting aid devoid of a pulse transformer with its inherent loading disadvantages and arranged in a parallel manner with the gaseous discharge lamp.